Local biz owner donates food to fill 15K bags

A local business is doing what it can to bag hunger, as its owner donates truckloads of food that volunteers then use to fill paper bags picked up by charities and individuals.

Mid Island Collision in Rockville Centre is gearing up to kick off its Fill-The-Bag event, in which the firm’s owner donates food and organizes volunteers who fill more than 15,000 bags.

The three-day event kicks off at 7 a.m. on November 20 with hundreds of men, women and children expected to volunteer to fill bags with non-perishable food for Thanksgiving meals.

Mid Island Collision President Robert Jesberger says he is donating more than $200,000 worth of food for the event, including buying four tractor trailer loads of canned corn, ham, sweet potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, fruit cocktail, string beans, stuffing and mashed potatoes from a wholesale food distributor.

The truckloads will be delivered to Mid Island Collision, aiming to feed more than 130,000 food-poor individuals.

The bags are handed out to individuals in need and picked up by more than 100 food charities, homeless shelters, church pantries, military veterans organizations and other nonprofits throughout Long Island, New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut, including the Salvation Army, Long Island Cares and Catholic Charities.

“No adult or child should go hungry, especially during this time of year,” Jesberger said regarding his motivation for the food drive. “This event is also about community.”

Jesberger said since he buys the food, he can let others donate time in a way that’s particularly helpful around Thanksgiving.

“Every bag matters, and while this effort is long removed from being able to end hunger,” he said, “we can make a significant difference in providing humanity during a special time of year.”

Jesberger started a Thanksgiving-related food charity 25 years ago which eventually transformed into the Fill-The-Bag event to give people a chance to volunteer and give back to their community.

Although this is designed to provide people with a Thanksgiving meal, it doesn’t include turkey. But there’s a reason.

“I have learned from food charities and non-profits that I can actually feed four to six times more people with ham because of the serving size,” Jesberger said, noting that since ham is less expensive, he can feed still more.

For the event, which is resuming this year after a hiatus last year, Jesberger says he has donated more than $2 million to feed the hungry or “food poor.”

“I’m just a small business owner,” he said. “I work very hard and I’m blessed with success. My success is just a way for me to be able to help others. How I got involved is easy. I see the need and do what I can to fill it.”

While the event helps others, Mid Island Collision itself sees some benefit in the form of good will that for the company.

“The fill-the-bag event buzz continues to grow so, yes, I do tend to see an uptick in business, which makes the perfect cycle of giving,” Jesberger continued. “A boost in business generally also means a financial boost, which then allows me to put even more money towards the fill-the-bag event the following year.”

Volunteers are invited to Fill-The-Bag at Mid Island Collision at 20 Lakeview Ave., Rockville Centre from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 20 and the same times Tuesday, Nov. 21.

Volunteers can just arrive as they’re available, although food charities need to pre-register by contacting the Fill-The-Bag team at 516-829-8374 or MICFillTheBag@gmail.com. Bags of food must be picked up Wednesday, Nov. 22, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.